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What is porcelain made of?

Porcelain is a type of pottery. It was named by the famous explorer Marco Polo when he found some on his visit to China. The name porcelain comes from an Italian word that means “cowry shell.” That’s because Marco Polo thought that the pottery looked like the texture of a seashell!

Porcelain is made from ground up pieces of rock or minerals. They are grinded until they become a powder and they are mixed with a form of clay. The mixture is then heated to over 1400 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hotter than volcanic lava! That’s way too hot to touch!

When it all cools, it becomes hard and shiny. Most of the time, if you shine a light behind a piece of porcelain, you can see a faint, blurry trace of the light through the pottery. Most porcelain is very fragile, meaning it can break easily, so you always want to ask permission before you pick up a piece of it.

Exploration

Super Sculpting

Do you have clay at home? It’s a fun substance that you can mold into different shapes. Try shaping some into the shape of a vase or a plate (but don’t eat off of it when you’re done.)

How hard is it to get that perfect shape? It’s not easy! Think of what other things you can sculpt with clay. Try sculpting a friend’s face, or a car, or a dog. Clay is really amazing because you can really make it into any shape you can imagine!